Kennedy
Girl name · #85 in 2025 · Uniqueness 47/100
Kennedy ranks #85 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 2,933 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #58, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 614 girls born in 2025 was named Kennedy.
The 68-year story
Kennedy first appears in the Social Security records in 1957, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 4,523 girls were named Kennedy — good for #58 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Kennedy per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kennedy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kennedy in class?
Kennedy scores 47 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kennedy is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kennedy is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kennedys were TX (262), CA (215), FL (160), PA (155), NC (143). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kennedy
Statistically, parents drawn to Kennedy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kinsley, Audrey, Serenity, Aaliyah, and Genesis.
KinsleyAudreySerenityAaliyahGenesisPaisleyRileyHadley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kennedy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,933 | #85 |
| 2024 | 2,890 | #89 |
| 2023 | 3,075 | #72 |
| 2022 | 3,077 | #74 |
| 2021 | 3,443 | #70 |
| 2020 | 3,361 | #72 |
| 2019 | 3,692 | #67 |
| 2018 | 3,946 | #59 |
| 2017 | 4,162 | #58 |
| 2016 | 4,341 | #59 |
| 2015 | 4,523 | #58 |
| 2014 | 4,498 | #54 |
| 2013 | 3,961 | #65 |
| 2012 | 3,389 | #84 |
| 2011 | 3,248 | #91 |
| 2010 | 2,833 | #111 |
| 2009 | 2,863 | #115 |
| 2008 | 2,953 | #115 |
| 2007 | 3,054 | #110 |
| 2006 | 2,904 | #115 |
| 2005 | 2,826 | #118 |
| 2004 | 2,886 | #117 |
| 2003 | 2,774 | #122 |
| 2002 | 2,513 | #136 |
| 2001 | 2,406 | #138 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kennedy a popular girl name?
Kennedy ranked #85 among girls in 2025 with 2,933 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #58.
When was the name Kennedy most popular?
Kennedy peaked in 2015, when 4,523 American girls received the name (ranked #58 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kennedy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 614 newborn American girls was named Kennedy. It scores 47/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.